If you were expecting us to slow down... think again.

It’s been a few weeks since Consensus 2025 wrapped in Toronto, but the energy is still going strong. From packed sessions to nonstop conversations at the Hedera booth, it’s clear that the momentum behind our ecosystem is building. We even introduced something new, AI Studio. More on that shortly. But first, let’s take a look at some of the major updates and shifts happening across the ecosystem…

New Leadership, New Look… Same Core Values

Big things are happening. @Hedera has made some major updates to better reflect who we are and where we’re going.

First up, the HBAR Foundation has a new name… Say hello to the Hedera Foundation. It’s still all about supporting builders, but now with an even sharper focus on DeFi, AI, and community-led innovation, all under the leadership of Charles Adkins. Learn more here. 

We’ve also streamlined the Hedera Governing Council brand, which is now simply Hedera Council. Longtime Hedera General Counsel Tom Sylvester has stepped in as President, with Mance Harmon as Chairman, helping us double down on decentralized governance and enterprise adoption.

It’s a cleaner brand structure, a clearer mission, and a stronger foundation for everything ahead, and it’s only just getting started! Make sure you read about the ‘New Era for Hedera’ in the blog post here.

Highlights from Consensus 2025

It was a real privilege to be in Toronto for Consensus 2025, connecting in-person with builders, ecosystem partners, and curious newcomers from across the industry. The energy was high and the conversations were real.

A personal highlight was joining Jill Malandrino on Nasdaq TradeTalks live (my fourth time over the years!). I shared how Hashgraph and Hedera are enabling enterprises to build scalable, compliant solutions grounded in trust and transparency. It was also a great opportunity to spotlight HashSphere. Check out the full conversation here!

Across the event, the excitement around Hedera as the trust layer for AI and Web3 was unmistakable. Our booth was buzzing from start to finish, and the launch of AI Studio sparked real interest from developers and enterprises alike.

A few standout moments:

• Ty Smith, Senior Product Manager, led a packed session on how Hedera is enabling verifiable AI and reshaping the future of decentralized computing. Watch here.

• Leemon Baird joined a panel on the evolution of AI agents, highlighting why decentralization matters not just in systems but in the people and values behind them. Watch here.

Thanks to everyone who came by, asked questions, shared ideas, and helped make it such a memorable event!

Hello, AI Studio

What if spinning up transparent, verifiable AI agents was as easy as building a playlist or launching a website? That’s the idea behind AI Studio, an open-source toolkit for building AI that actually plays by the rules. It’s simple to use, packed with powerful tools, and built on Hedera’s trusted tech.

Created jointly with our friends at HashgraphOnline, Eliza Labs, and Hedera Foundation, AI Studio gives you everything you need to get started:

• ElizaOS Plugin: Talk to the network using natural language.

• Hedera Agent Kit: Deploy agents with LangChain compatibility.

• OpenConvAI (HCS-10): A secure protocol for agent comms.

• MCP Server: Let agents interact with external systems.

All of it runs on Hedera’s predictable-cost, carbon-negative infrastructure. Because we believe that smart systems should be clean, fast, and built to scale.

Learn more about  AI Studio here, and read the launch blog here.

Meet Hedera Contract Builder

Hashgraph developers have been heads-down, building something to make your smart contract journey with Hedera smoother than ever. Whether you’re a smart contract veteran or a total beginner, the new Hedera Contract Builder is your launchpad. It’s fast, intuitive, browser-based, and completely open source. Built in collaboration with Kabila App , it’s designed to take the complexity out of contract development so you can focus on building.

Key features:

• Zero setup. Just open your browser and start coding.

• Instant iteration. Test and deploy in seconds.

• Pre-built templates with ERC and HTS support.

• Fully community-driven so you can contribute, collaborate, and grow.

Give it a spin here and see how simple building on Hedera can be. Read the launch blog here.

At Hashgraph, we’re bridging enterprise and next-generation technology to accelerate the digital economy. Our global team brings expertise from Web2, Web3, finance, and the public sector, all driven by a shared mission to turn innovation into real-world impact.

We’re currently hiring across R&D, product, finance, marketing, and security. If you’re ready to help shape the future, or know someone who is, we’d love to hear from you. Explore our open roles or connect with me or a  member of the Hashgraph team.

Ask Our Hashgraphers

For this edition, I’ve asked the Hashgraphers… “If you could only listen to one song this week, what would it be?”

Michiel Mulders (Developer Relations Engineer): “Spooky ! Dusty Springfield 💯”

Shoshana O'Brien (Corporate and Product Counsel): “Sofi Tukker - Best Friend. Sofi Tukker is an innovative musical duo based out of Miami who recently released their newest album, BREAD (be really energetic and dance). Their music is all about positivity and joy.”

Fermín Dietze (Community Manager): “I would listen to “Todo Cambia” as performed by Mercedes Sosa. In case you’re interested, I heard it again this week in the Argentine series El Eternauta on Netflix, and it instantly took me back to my childhood. I live in Spain now, and the song made me feel just how deeply we miss our roots.”